Chicago area open water swimmers will have one more Lake Michigan swim option this year thanks to a recently inked partnership between OWC and San Francisco-based Sugob Events!
Dubbed the “OWC/Sugob Crib Crawl,” this will be a 2.72 mile point-to-point swim event from the Harrison-Dever water crib to Oak Street Beach. The unique feature of this event will be a ferry boat swim start – similar to the Alcatraz swims conducted in San Francisco Bay.
Swimmers will board the ferry at Navy Pier which will take them out to a launch area just outside of the landmark water crib. Sugob, one of the preeminent organizers of swims in the Bay Area, will provide timing chips for the swimmers which will activate once they exit the boat. From that point, both Sugob and OWC will provide kayak support for all swimmers while they make their way to the swim landing site just south of L1.
Here is the tentative swim route (pending approval by the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District):
This event is currently scheduled for Saturday July 11, 2015 – so be sure to mark your calendars!
Also, because of the unique challenges inherent with this specific swim route, we are limiting this event to the first 100 qualified swimmers.
In order to be eligible to participate in the OWC/Sugob Crib Crawl, you must be an experienced open water swimmer and you must have a Lake Monster Number – no exceptions.
I will provide you all with more details as we get closer to the event. But for now, please mark the date and be sure to let all your friends know about this inaugural open water swim event – right in our very own back yard!
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UPDATE – April 2, 2015
1) Please note the original date of this post
2) Please also note the semantics of “Sugob” when the lettering is reversed
3) Gotcha!
I submitted my request for a Lake Monster Number when I first saw this posting. When will I get it?
You can get a Lake Monster number by showing up to one of our official meetups. FYI, there is no Crib Crawl – that was an April Fools joke.
So this was an April Fools joke?!? Why?? Pranks are supposed to be funny…this isn’t. My friend forwarded this info to me and I actually requested off work because it looked like a legitimate event. Some people have WAY too much time on their hands!
So does this mean you aren’t going to sign the OWC waiver?
I think you should have this. Get some kayaks quick. What is the distance? maybe we could do an out and back!
You’ll need to start the swim at 5am in hopes that everyone makes it to the beach before the power boats start making thier way to the playpen at Ohio st beach ….
Well played, Steve!
what is the time limit on this swim ?
snap!
This is so exciting – I’m in!!!
I’m ready. Have my Lake Monster number and ready to rock! Looking forward to the info.
is it April already?
..the same question, how do we get the “lake monster number? Thanks.
interested ! how do u get Lake Monster Number ? Thanks